Dental hygienists and registered nurses play very different roles in the health care industries. However, the typical incomes for these occupations are relatively similar. A dental hygienist provides basic cleaning and dental checkups. An RN provides basic health services, such as bandaging and administering medications, in doctor's offices, hospitals, nursing homes and in-home health care.

Dental Hygienist Basic Pay

The average annual salary for a dental hygienist was $70,700 as of May 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Top-end pay was much higher, though. The top 10 percent of earners made at or more than $96,280 per year. California offered the highest average income for hygienists at $93,280. However, this is partly based on the relatively high cost of living in the state. Nevada, Washington and the District of Columbia all had average salaries of more than $90,000.

Registered Nurse Basic Pay

Average pay for RNs was within $3,000 of the hygienist average. The BLS indicated a mean annual salary of $67,930 for RNs as of May 2012. Top-end pay was even closer. The top 10 percent of RNs earned $94,720 or more. California was -- not surprisingly -- the highest-paying state for RNs, too, at $94,120. The gap was greater to the second highest-paying state. Hawaii nurses earned an average of $84,750.

Work Settings

The vast majority of dental hygienists works in dentist offices and clinics. Therefore, the average pay for office-based hygienists is very close to the overall average for all hygienists. However, RN pay varies based on diverse work environments. In specialty hospitals, RNs can earn more than a typical dentist, with average annual pay of $73,610 in 2012. Hospital-based and outpatient center RNs also make approximately $70,000, close to hygienist pay. However, RNs in doctors' offices averaged only $62,120 per year.

Background

The education requirements to land jobs in these occupations are also very similar. Dental hygienists usually need an associate degree from an accredited dental hygiene program. All states in the U.S. require them to have a license, according to the BLS. RNs can actually get a one-year diploma, complete an associate degree or earn a bachelor's degree for higher-level positions. They must also pass the NCLEX-RN exam and obtain licensing in their state.